Visual and/or audio information storage and retrieval device

Claim 1

An input, storage and output device for intake and storage of monument information for subsequent retrieval and output of monument information comprised of registered picture data or both registered picture and registered sound data comprising: a monument data input system including (i) photographing means for video information or both photographing means for video information and sound pickup means for sound information and (ii) registration code input means for entering registration codes, said monument data input system being provided with a start switch in selecting a still picture and a confirmation switch for establishing said still picture, a monument data storage system for storing the monument data transmitted from said monument data input system by corresponding registration code, a data processing system for controlling the input and output of the monument data stored by registration code in said monument data storage system, and an output system for referring to a selected one of said registration codes and outputting the monument data corresponding to said selected code.

Claim 10

A method for storing monument information using a device having: a monument data input system including; (i) photographing means for video information or both photographing means for video information and sound pickup means for sound information, (ii) registration code input means for entering registration codes, and (iii) a start switch for selecting a still picture and a confirmation switch for establishing said still picture; a monument data storage system for storing the monument data transmitted from said monument data input system by corresponding registration code, a data processing system for controlling the input and output of the monument data stored by registration code in said monument data storage system, and an output system for referring to a selected one of said registration codes and outputting the monument data corresponding to said selected code; wherein: said photographing means in said monument data input system comprises a video camera and a TV monitor for displaying a video image from said video camera and a frame memory for selecting a given picture output from said video camera and storing it as a still picture; and said sound pickup means comprises a microphone and a PCM converter for converting sound data from said microphone to pulse code modulation signals; said method comprising the steps of: watching said TV monitor to select a desired picture image, operating said start switch to enter the selected picture as a still picture into the frame memory, operating said confirmation switch to store the still picture to the monument data storage system, optionally inputting sound data to store verbal comments together with the still picture for a certain time period during which the confirmation switch is pressed.

Claim 11

A method for storing monument information using a device having: a monument data input system including; (i) photographing means for video information or both photographing means for video information and sound pickup means for sound information, (ii) registration code input means for entering registration codes, and (iii) a start switch for selecting a still picture and a confirmation switch for establishing said still picture; a monument data storage system for storing the monument data transmitted from said monument data input system by corresponding registration code, a data processing system for controlling the input and output of the monument data stored by registration code in said monument data storage system, and an output system for referring to a selected one of said registration codes and outputting the monument data corresponding to said selected code; wherein: said photographing means in said monument data input system comprises a video camera and a TV monitor for displaying a video image from said video camera and a frame memory for selecting a given picture output from said video camera and storing it as a still picture; and said sound pickup means comprises a microphone and a PCM converter for converting sound data from said microphone to pulse code modulation signals; said method comprising the steps of: watching said TV monitor to select a desired picture image, operating said start switch to enter the selected picture as a still picture into the frame memory, operating said confirmation switch to store the still picture to the monument data storage system, optionally inputting sound data to store verbal comments together with the still picture for a certain time period during which the confirmation switch is pressed.